Description

Reporting to the Vice President of Membership and External Relations, the Communications Director will play a critical role in maintaining and expanding the Council's reputation as a prominent and trusted source of information and ideas for policymakers and the media, a center of gravity for the criminal justice field, and a catalyst for criminal justice policy based on facts, evidence, and fundamental principles of justice. As a member of the Council's senior team, the Communications Director will collaborate with Council leadership and directly supervise a team of communications, design, and media relations staff and consultants.

Responsibilities

The Communications Director will:

Oversee the Council's communications strategy and resources

• Develop and execute an organizational communications strategy that includes earned and paid media, social media, web, email outreach, and development;
• Develop and execute communications plans for independent Council commissions, task forces, and other initiatives;
• Raise the profile of the Council, Council task forces, other Council projects, and Council leaders and members through various communications channels;
• Work with the senior leadership or project leadership to ensure all projects have the communications resources they need to meet their goals;
• Manage and direct staff and consultants responsible for the Council's digital communications, including the website, social media, video projects, and more;
• Directly supervise the Council's communications team, including digital comms and media relations staff and consultants;

Elevate the Council's visibility in new and traditional media

• Expand the Council's outreach to new media contacts, social media connections, podcasts, the general public, and other audiences, utilizing video, audio, and other non-traditional approaches;
• Draft and/or edit op-eds, research publications, press releases, fundraising materials, talking points, event summaries, biographies, social media posts, and other documents;
• Develop, maintain, and expand relationships with relevant reporters, columnists, editorial writers, opinion editors, and other members of the media;
• Conceptualize and produce story pitches and op-eds, pitch stories to media, and oversee media relations staff, consultants, and media monitoring contractors;
• Collaborate with the Council's senior leadership team on fundraising, membership engagement, and other strategic initiatives and priorities;

Strengthen the Council's brand and style

• Ensure that all publications and other written products meet the Council's style, voice, and high standards of quality;
• Maintain adherence to - and continuously improve - quality control protocols and Council templates to maximize efficiency, effectiveness, and the organization's brand identity.

As a member of the Council's senior team, the Communications Director will contribute to special projects and fundraising initiatives. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• A bachelor's degree; an advanced degree in communications, public relations, marketing, journalism, public policy, or another relevant field is strongly preferred.
• A deep understanding of and experience with criminal justice policy.
• Ten years of relevant experience or equivalent. Candidates may substitute a master's degree for two years of experience or a doctoral degree for four years of experience.
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills. The ability to express ideas, concepts, and arguments clearly, concisely, and compellingly is essential.
• Demonstrated experience crafting - and mentoring others to craft - successful op-eds, newsletters, social media posts, and policy reports.
• Knowledge of web and other digital best practices, such as search engine optimization (SEO), user experience strategy, and accessibility.
• A logical and resourceful approach to evaluating and addressing problems.
• Demonstrated time management and project management skills, including an ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization.
• The ability to think strategically and creatively, adjust to changing circumstances, organize time, remain attentive to details, identify resources for projects, and manage multiple staff to meet publication deadlines.
• Acute political awareness and allegiance to the Council's nonpartisan perspective and approach. Demonstrated ability to quickly build and maintain effective working relationships among individuals and organizations with a range of interests and perspectives is essential.
• The ability to succeed on a remote team, including producing independently and fording collegial relationships with remote colleagues and direct reports.
• Demonstrated ability to productively engage in a highly collaborative and collegial manner with team members and external stakeholders.
• This is a remote position but will require occasional travel for events and meetings.